Stylist Extraordinaire: Meet Hilary

We fell hook, line, and sinker for Hilary Rushford’s beautiful style blog, Dean Street Society. This gal has a knack elegant, effortless style. A bit of a chameleon, she is equally at home in a vintage dress or an edgy pair of pants. We’re often asking ourselves, what would Hilary wear?

This season we invited Hilary and Jessie of Style and Pepper, to show you how to update your wardrobe with accessories. These stylish friends have created an amazing video class that will help you discover your best style. Noonday Style School launches on May 6, 2015. Sign up today before it’s too late!

Before the official launch of Noonday Style School, we want to take you a moment to introduce you to Hilary and Jessie. Hilary, who recently returned from a dreamy trip to Italy, took some time out of her busy schedule to catch up with us and share more about her stylish ways.

Hilary, you are a woman of many talents. Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a California girl who took her tap shoes to New York City, hit it big and decided to stay!

If you haven’t seen Hilary dance, you’ll get an awesome dose of her mad dancing skills in our Style School classes. Fun fact, Hilary spent years on Broadway and toured with the Rockettes.

How would you describe your personal style?

Modern vintage, effortless with a side of bold!

What does fashion mean to you?

To me, fashion means walking out the door and into rooms with confidence, being empowered over how to you want to feel on a daily basis, honoring your beauty with how you show up in the world

What was your road to becoming a stylist like?

I launched a style blog and announced I was offering my services! With almost every opportunity that came my way I felt I had no idea what I was doing. I just said “yes” and had the hustle-plus-wisdom to thankfully always be able to figure it out whether it was my first magazine shoot, prop styling, on-camera hosting or one-on-one clients.

How did you first hear about Noonday?

I met Jessica, Noonday’s Founder, at a conference and was smitten with the global good Noonday was doing, both in creating life-changing opportunities for Artisans and empowering so many women in the U.S. to become entrepreneurs as Ambassadors. When I got to speak at this year’s annual Ambassador Conference, Shine, I realized even more deeply what a warm, supportive, encouraging community Noonday has created.

I’m sure it’s hard to pick just one thing, but what do you love about your job?

Using the right and left sides of my brain! I love being both creative and strategic. I can do a math equation to work out projections for our next launch and then go play on Instagram and call it my job. I also really love that I have a business that first and foremost brings people joy. They feel inspired, encouraged, empowered, educated, more elegant — whatever the wins are, they’re really on the heart level and that’s so fulfilling.

You got to get up close and personal with the Noonday line while you were creating videos for Style School. Did any piece become a favorite?

Tell us, what are your must-have items for Spring/Summer?

Color! As soon as the sun comes out I want to add to the beauty even more with cheery clothing. I really love feminine, flowy dresses – I’m on a huge pink kick right now – but I don’t want it to feel too sweet, so I like shoes, purses, jewelry, and hats that feel especially edgy, cool, modern, and fashion forward. Those modern accessories make me feel like I can get away with a blush sundress and still feel professionally chic.

I always love knowing where you gather your inspiration. Who are some of your style icons/fashion inspirations?

Iris Apfel reminds me that if you have confidence, you can pull off anything. Diane Von Furstenberg reminds me that sexy can feel easy and doesn’t have to show a lot of skin. And Audrey Hepburn reminds me that classic silhouettes will be eternally flattering to the female form.

What’s something most people wouldn’t know/guess about you?

I’m a huge college football fan and utterly obsessed with political fiction so I love The West Wing, Madame Secretary, and An American President.

Who’s your favorite designer?

I totally swoon for those Oscar-worthy dresses we real girls don’t have much opportunity to wear but can dream about! So Marchesa, Monique Lhuillier, Giambattista and Oscar De La Renta. Basically I need a famous male bestie so I can be his plus one to awards season. {wink}

Thanks for spending time with us, Hilary! We hope you enjoyed hearing more about what’s inspiring one of our favorite stylists. Now head over to Style School and sign up to get access to so many of Hilary’s stylist tips and tricks for free!